Vanilla Ricotta Dessert

Name: Vanilla Ricotta Dessert
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese ((half of a 15 oz container)); 2 tablespoons honey (or a sugar-free sweetener (see note)); 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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This easy ricotta dessert is made with just three ingredients. You can quickly whip it by hand or use the food processor.

Depending on the sweetener you use, it can be low-carb and keto too. And it keeps well in the fridge for several days.

Ricotta dessert served in small glass cups with spoons.

I have a pretty wild sweet tooth. Apart from trying to fight it, I have developed an arsenal of truly easy recipes that can calm it down without causing too much damage. 😂

This tasty ricotta dessert is one of these recipes. It's cool and creamy and nicely flavored with vanilla and honey. It's like eating the filling of a no-bake cheesecake! Wonderful by itself, it's even better when topped with fresh berries.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Expert tip
Frequently asked questions
Variations
Serving suggestions
Storing leftovers
Related recipes
Recipe card

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty dessert. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Ricotta cheese: You should definitely use whole-milk cheese in this recipe. Reduced-fat ricotta isn't very good in my opinion, in terms of flavor and texture.

Sweetener: You can use honey, stevia, or a powdered sugar-free sweetener. For the best texture, use a powdered sweetener and not a granulated one - see the discussion below.

Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff.

Instructions

Making this ricotta dessert is so easy! Simply process the three ingredients in your food processor for about two minutes, then chill the mixture for an hour before serving.

The result is so tasty and creamy! It's difficult to believe that so little work is required to produce such lovely results.

A photo collage showing the steps for making a ricotta dessert.

Expert tip

I highly recommend making this dessert ahead of time. Spending a few hours in the fridge will allow the flavors to meld and the texture will also improve and become creamier. Give it another stir before serving.

Frequently asked questions

Can I mix this dessert by hand?

Yes. You can mix it by hand using a hand whisk as I do in the video, but it won’t be as smooth. The ricotta will remain a bit grainy.

Can I use low-fat ricotta?

I don't recommend it. I experimented with using low-fat ricotta and it just wasn't as good. It was too grainy and not creamy enough. So do stick with whole milk ricotta.

Can I make a low-carb version?

Yes - simply use a sugar-free sweetener. It's best to use stevia (as I do in the video below) or a powdered sweetener. Its fine texture will ensure that the creamy dessert is nice and smooth.

If you use a granulated (not powdered) sweetener, the granules will affect the texture, and not in a good way.

Variations

The best way to vary this recipe is to use different flavor extracts. I almost always use vanilla, but if you like coconut, you can use coconut extract instead.

Lemon extract is another tasty option, and you can also mix a pinch of finely grated lemon zest into the dessert.

Serving suggestions

This creamy dessert is excellent all on its own. I like to serve it in pretty dessert glasses.

It's also wonderful when topped with fresh berries, blueberry compote, chocolate whipped cream, or a drizzle of melted dark chocolate and some chopped nuts.

Storing leftovers

You can keep this dessert in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four days. Give it a good stir before serving it.

This is one of those recipes where the leftovers actually taste great - even better than the freshly prepared recipe.

Ricotta dessert served in small cups with spoons.

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4.99 from 844 votes

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Vanilla Ricotta Dessert

A three-ingredient ricotta dessert that you quickly blend by hand or in your food processor.

Prep Time10 mins

Rest time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 142kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

▢ 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (half of a 15 oz container)
▢ 2 tablespoons honey or a sugar-free sweetener (see note)
▢ ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the ingredients in your food processor bowl.
Process until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
Refrigerate for one hour before serving.
Serve in small, ⅓-cup dessert bowls or ramekins.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

NOTES

You can use stevia or a sugar-free powdered sweetener. A granulated sweetener will be too grainy. The low-carb version has 108 calories and 2 grams of carbs per serving.

You can whisk the dessert by hand as I do in the video, but keep in mind that it won’t be as smooth as when using a food processor. The ricotta will remain a bit grainy.

Coconut extract or lemon extract are tasty alternatives to vanilla extract.

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